Pirates Oneil Cruz Faces Tough Competition at HR Derby

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz heads into the Home Run Derby as one of many great power hitters in baseball looking for the ultimate crown.

New York Yankees second baseman/third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. announced that he would partake in the Home Run Derby, making him the eighth and final contestant for the competition on July 14 at Truist Field, home of the Atlanta Braves.

The other six contestants include Seattle Mariners catcher/designated hitter Cal Raleigh, Athletics designated hitter/outfielder Brent Rooker, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton, Washington Nationals left fielder James Wood and Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr.

Chisholm makes this his first Home Run Derby appearance and has 17 home runs on the season, just one more than Cruz for the second lowest of any contestant that have played all season.

The Yankees have had five winners of the Home Run Derby, including Tino Martinez in 1997, Jason Giambi in 2002, Robinson Canó in 2011 and current teammate Aaron Judge in 2017.

Raleigh leads the MLB with 36 home runs, which is a career-high and the most for a Mariners player before the All-Star break.

The switch-hitter has dominated opposing pitching all year and won American League Player of the Month in June, slashing .300/.398/.690 with 11 home runs and 27 RBIs.

He also tied his longest hit home run and hit his hardest hit home run of the season vs. the Pirates on July 4 at T-Mobile Park in the 6-0 victory.

Raleigh will look to become the first Mariners player to win the Home Run Derby since Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. did it three times in 1994, 1998 and 1999.

Rooker has hit 19 home runs and is on pace for his third straight, 30-home run season. He hit a career-high 39 home runs in 2024, tied for the fifth most in the MLB.

The Athletics have had two Home Run Derby winners in their history in Mark McGwire in 1992 and Yoenis Céspedis in back-to-back seasons, 2013 and 2014.

Caminero is ninth in the MLB with 23 home runs this season and just earned his first All-Star nod at 22 years old, starting at third base for the AL.

The 22-year old would serve as the youngest player to win the Home Run Derby if he did so, with the previous youngest player in Juan González of the Texas Rangers. He would also become the first Rays player to win the competition.

Buxton is finally healthy after years of injuries and earned his second All-Star nod, hitting 20 home runs, tied for 15th most in the MLB, and slashing .270/.338/.544.

Justin Morneau is the only winner from the Twins, doing so in 2008, but Josh Hamilton's incredible performance overshadowed him that night.

Wood is in his first full season at 22-years old and has smashed 24 home runs, eighth most in the MLB.

Standing at 6-foot-7 just like Cruz, Wood is a domineering figure who has a chance to become the next great power hitter for the Nationals, as they still work through a long rebuild after the 2019 World Series.

The Nationals have had two previous winners, Bryce Harper in 2018 and Juan Soto in 2022.

Acuña only has 11 home runs this season, but didn't start the season until May 23, after rehabbing back from a season-ending knee injury in 2024.

This is his third time competing in the Home Run Derby, losing twice to New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso in 2019 and 2022. He would also become the first Braves player that won the award if he does it this time.